Unexpected
by AOBZ
Summary: Sara/Catherine pairing. No established relationship at the start. This is a story about how they move from disliking one another (mostly Catherine disliking Sara) to ending up together. Femmeslash.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I've been wanting to write a story like this for a while now, and it took me... man, I don't know. Almost a year? before I finally admitted it to a friend, who encouraged me to do it. I spent a lot of time debating before I finally started writing, and I have edited this so many times that I've lost count. It's been sitting on my desktop for a couple of months or so, while I debated whether or not to share it. I wanted to, but I was hesitant. This is a pretty touchy subject for some people, and a very new one for me. I still want to write a second part, a more graphic scene, but I don't feel I'm there yet as a writer. However, I figure this is a good first step. Maybe with time (or some help?), I'll get there.

Warning to my usual readers, this is very very unlike anything else I have ever written. This stories deals with the BDSM community, and while it's very very tame, it's likely to be unappealing to some readers. It's my first one and therefore a big step for me. I would absolutely love constructive criticism, but please be gentle! If this kind of story isn't your thing though, please turn away now. Please let me know what you think at the end. I would love the feedback.

A huge, super big thank you to my beta/sounding board/support system, Kane-no. Y'all should know that if she hadn't listened to me and encouraged me, this story probably would not have been written.

Anyway, onto the story!

* * *

Catherine had never meant to get involved with Sara. She had never even meant to become her friend, but life had a funny way of having you find something you never knew you needed in someone you never thought you could like, let alone love. Their relationship had started unintentionally and from the most unexpected of sources: Lindsey. Truthfully, Catherine never had any intention of ever introducing Lindsey to Sara. In fact, she had done her damndest to keep her daughter away from the woman who had quickly become an irritating thorn in her side. She had been successful, at first, in keeping Lindsey from the brunette. However, as is inevitable with time, they began having brief contact with one another: a quick hello when she and Lindsey were leaving the building, an exchange of sentences as Lindsey saw Sara getting a coffee in the break room, then a short conversation when Lindsey caught Sara in the hallway one Thursday afternoon. These little encounters were enough to enamor the young girl with the older CSI, and soon, when she wound up at her mother's work, she began to seek out the woman. She would eventually find Sara wandering down a hall, holed out in someone's office, in the bathroom, or coming out of the elevator, and the girl would then spend the rest of her time happily chatting away with the brunette. Catherine tried to quietly stop the growing connection by keeping Lindsey close by, but to no avail. The girl was smitten, and she refused to be kept from Sara.

The solidification of their little friendship took place a couple of months after their first introduction, when Lindsey followed Sara back to the woman's hideout: the lab room. No one ever entered there; it was Sara's lair. But, she had invited the younger Willows to accompany her, and the girl had gleefully accepted. They had spent the better part of an hour giggling and trading secrets, Sara then officially stealing Lindsey's affection for good.

This turn of events happened despite Catherine's wishes. While she didn't outright forbid her daughter's spending time with her colleague, she certainly did not encourage it. She had no idea what her daughter saw in Sara, and when she had asked, Lindsey had simply answered that the brunette was "fun". How in the world Sara Sidle was fun, Catherine would never know. At least, that was how she had felt at the time.

Back then, Sara had been the bane of her existence. Catherine felt that she was an irritating, argumentative, and frustratingly brilliant annoyance in her life. Catherine had busted her ass off to gain her colleagues' respect, working diligently to prove herself. Sara had done the same within the first 72 hours. It had irked the older woman, and rather than finding an ally in their male-dominated field, she had almost immediately found a threat, an enemy. She had disliked Sara right from the beginning, but Lindsey had had the very opposite reaction. It was maddening. She wanted Lindsey to hate Sara too, but she couldn't say that. So, Catherine tolerated the relationship. Barely. She bit her lip and told herself not to interfere, but it was difficult. She didn't want to ruin what seemed like a great source of joy to Lindsey, as much as it irked her. Her rational side reluctantly admitted that there really wasn't any harm in Lindsey spending a bit of time talking with Sara when the girl was visiting. However, her resolve not to break their frustratingly close relationship was greatly tested one day when Lindsey had skipped over to her and announced that she wanted Sara to babysit her.

Catherine had been so thrown off guard that she had made Lindsey repeat the request. Surely she had heard wrong.

She hadn't.

Lindsey insisted that she wanted Sara to watch her the following weekend when Catherine was out of town. The older Willows woman frowned. She responded that Grandma was due to stay with her and besides, Sara did not babysit. But, being the clever little girl that she was, Lindsey pointed out that they had not yet asked Grandma and that she had just asked Sara. Evidently, the brunette did not mind babysitting as she told the girl that as long as her mother was okay with it, she would be happy to watch her.

Catherine had cursed the woman all the way to the car. What was she playing at? She had to be doing this to fuck with her somehow. Why the hell else would she agree to watch Lindsey? Talking at work for a few minutes was one thing, but agreeing to babysit for an entire weekend? That was quite another. She couldn't understand why Sara would want to do this. She wasn't trying to be nice to her, to help her out by offering to watch Lindsey. They still hated each other. They still argued, butted heads, and continually held opposing views regarding everything at work, just as they always had. So, why do this? Why did she suddenly like Lindsey so much anyway? By the time she had entered the vehicle, Catherine was irate. She spent the entire ride home seething in silence.

It was only when she calmed down that Catherine had reluctantly admitted to herself that it really wasn't sudden. Their friendship had been slowly building over the last few months, much to Catherine's chagrin. She really did do her best to keep Lindsey home and away from work, but as a single mother, it was nearly impossible to keep her away for more than a couple of weeks at a time. She was always short a sitter and then needed to drag Lindsey to work. The girl never complained though, because she could then seek Sara out. Of course, the girl visited her favourite "uncles" first, but she did so almost out of obligation. She smiled and answered their questions, being the polite little girl that Catherine expected her to be, but when the opportunity presented itself, the girl quickly ended the conversation and moved on. After she did her rounds, she eagerly looked for Sara, squealing her name when she found her. One time, Catherine could have sworn she had even seen the brunette grin as she spotted Lindsey come flying at her, but she was sure that she was mistaken. Sara didn't smile. But still, there was no mistaking her daughter's adoration for the woman.

So, Catherine had reluctantly agreed to let Sara watch Lindsey that weekend. After all, what excuse could she have given not to let her? "Sorry, Sara, you drive me up the fucking wall, and I don't want to have to see you outside of work, let alone in my own home?" No. There was no choice, but it was exhausting trying to fake it with Lindsey, pretending to think Sara was as great as Lindsey thought she was. The truth was, Catherine found her more irritating than ever. She just wanted her out of her life and away from her daughter. She wished the brunette would go back to San Francisco and just stay there.

But, she didn't go back to San Francisco. Instead, Sara had come over and was most irritatingly excited to be with her daughter. Catherine had left, annoyed and suspicious. Throughout the weekend, she received regular updates from a chipper Sara and an always enthusiastic Lindsey, telling her not to rush home because she was having "a blast". As the weekend went by, Catherine became more and more suspicious of and irritated with Sara. Why couldn't she just leave them alone? And she had still not figured out what the brunette was playing at. She didn't trust her intentions. She couldn't even enjoy the spa she and her friend Claire had gone to because she was too busy stewing about Sara. She wasn't going to let her hurt her little girl. Taking her out to the water park, bringing her to the zoo, making endless crafts with her… why was she doing this? It didn't sit well with the older woman, so she made a decision and took action: she confronted Sara the night she returned home.

It got ugly fast, but that was, admittedly, mostly Catherine's doing. She had accused Sara of using Lindsey as a pawn in some sort of sick, twisted attempt to mess with the older woman. She told Sara that she was disgusted with her, that she needed to stop toying with her daughter's emotions and just leave her alone. She raged on, stating that she would not allow the woman to hurt her daughter, who was nothing but innocent in the game Sara was playing. She had told her that she would no longer tolerate it, and that she regretted not putting a stop to it earlier. She had gotten increasingly irate, bullying Sara until the woman was backed against the kitchen counter.

The brunette, understandably upset, had used every ounce of her self-control not to shout back. She would not do to Lindsey what her own father had done to her; she would not engage in a shouting match for the girl to overhear. She had stayed quiet the entire time Catherine yelled. She had then done the responsible thing and left, but not without making sure to calmly tell Catherine that she was sorely mistaken and that she would accept her apology when the woman was ready to give it.

The strawberry blonde had been so irritated with that response that she had slammed the door behind Sara. She stayed angry the rest of the evening, seething as she paced around the house, looking for any piece of evidence to prove that Sara was up to something. Had she been snooping around the house? Had she gone through her drawers?

Catherine marched around the house, but she found nothing. She huffed in annoyance, dropping down onto the couch. She refused to acknowledge the voice in her head that suggested that maybe Sara really was just interested in being friends with Lindsey. She also refused to admit that the reason she ignored the voice was because if it were right, she would have to admit she was wrong about Sara. She would have to acknowledge that Sara really was just looking to bond with her daughter, and then Catherine would be forced to face that fact that she had been a total and complete bitch to the other woman for no reason. Catherine wasn't a bitch. No. She wasn't. She had been right to attack the brunette because she was definitely up to something.

Catherine went to sleep that night, ignoring the feeling of uneasiness deep in her belly. She forced a smile the next morning when her daughter bounced out of her room and into the kitchen to greet her mother. The girl immediately began telling her about her weekend activities: moving around the living room furniture to build a fort in which to tell scary stories (as well as funny ones), making two minute brownies in the microwave, playing hide and go seek in the dark, playing at the park. Lindsey's eyes lit up as she spoke, animatedly telling her mother about all the fun she had had this weekend. She then gasped, stating that she had a surprise for her. Lindsey had hopped off the chair at that point and raced to her bedroom, returning with two pictures for Catherine.

The first, obviously done by Lindsey, was a drawing of Sara and Catherine on either side of the girl, each holding one of her hands. She had painstakingly spelt out "I love you. You are the best mom in the world." She promptly informed Catherine that Sara had helped her think of what to write. Lindsey then produced a second picture, one that made Catherine pause, stunned. It was a beautifully drawn picture of cherry and peach blossoms, a picture that could have easily been found in a frame at a store. Lindsey rambled on as Catherine stared at the expertly drawn flowers.

"_Sara said they're your favourite flowers. Is that true, mom? She said you'd really like this, but she didn't want you to know it was for you. She said I could keep it, but it's for you. Why wouldn't she want you to know if it was for you? Anyway, they're really pretty, aren't they? I wish I could draw like Sara. She said she'll teach me one day."_

Catherine vaguely acknowledged her daughter's statement, too busy staring at the drawing in her hands. Sara had put effort into this picture. She had drawn it for her. Why? And how had she known these were her favourite? When had she and Sara ever discussed anything not related to work? When in the hell had they discussed her favourite flowers? Catherine racked her brain, but she could not recall a single conversation that they had had that didn't revolve around work. Hell, she had trouble recalling a single conversation that didn't end up with Catherine yelling at Sara.

She had been so distracted by the picture (which she had had to hide in a drawer because she didn't want to admit how it made her feel), that she hadn't seen the day go by. She couldn't face Sara that Monday night at work, so she avoided the woman with everything she had. Tuesday had unfortunately found them working a case together, but she still could not find it in herself to do anything more than give Sara a slight nod to acknowledge her presence.

She had spent much of Tuesday' shift quiet, lost in her own thoughts and feelings. The picture and its significance bothered her. It made her uncomfortable to consider that maybe, just maybe she was wrong about Sara. She tried to banish the thoughts her conscience was now shoving forward in her mind, but it was getting more and more difficult. They were starting to take over. The thoughts screamed at her that most of the arguments the two had had, most of the fighting… it was Catherine's fault. _She_ had been the one to initiate most of their arguments, _she_ was the one who had had a bad attitude right from the beginning, _she_ was the one who went out of her way to be mean to Sara…

It was becoming painfully obvious as Catherine slowly processed the thoughts in her mind that Sara was not at fault at all. She had done nothing wrong. Catherine was the problem, and the more she thought about it, the worse she felt. It had gotten to the point that she couldn't even look at Sara in the eye anymore. The guilt was slowly eating away at her, and she wasn't sure how she could even begin to rectify the damage that she had done. She was ashamed. She knew she needed to fix things; she needed to make them right. But how? How, after everything she had done?

Sara was not ignorant to her colleague's internal struggle. She knew that her weekend with Lindsey had changed things between them, she just wasn't yet sure how. She was not as unobservant and selfish as Catherine accused her of being. She had hoped that the woman would finally come to her senses after this weekend and realise that she was not the enemy. But when she had returned home angrier than Sara had ever seen her, the brunette's hopes had been dashed. Catherine had said some nasty things, and Sara had left incredibly angry and hurt. That's why it came as a complete surprise when Catherine showed up on Monday morning looking almost…sad. Sara had been expecting a confrontation, an argument, but the woman had done nothing of the sort. In fact, she had avoided her completely. That was extremely unlike Catherine. It was also extremely unlike her to spend the rest of the week so subdued, quietly acknowledging Sara's presence while staying as far away from her as possible. They had had practically no contact all week until Friday, when the strawberry blonde had brought her a coffee. She had said nothing more than "here" as she placed the cup next to Sara. The brunette had been so stunned that she didn't even think to say thank you.

She had been thoroughly confused, and she had thought about the woman's actions all weekend. As she went over the week's events, she kept coming to the same conclusion: Catherine was feeling guilty. Could it be? It couldn't, not Catherine, but it certainly seemed like it though. The following Monday evening, when Sara saw the other woman again, her suspicions were confirmed. It was so obvious now, the way the other woman avoided her gaze, looking away when Sara spoke to her, barely saying two words in response. The guilt was written all over her face. Sara hid her emotions better than anyone she knew, but Catherine, she wore hers on her sleeve.

Sara thought about talking to the other woman, but ultimately she decided not to. She wasn't going to make it easier on her by talking to her and alleviating her burden. Catherine had made her life a living hell for the last eight months, and she deserved to suffer too, at least for a little while. She needed to reflect on how poorly she had treated someone who had not deserved it in the least. Sara had tried to befriend her at first, but Catherine had made it abundantly clear right from the beginning that she was not going to have anything do to with her. She went out of her way to bully and exclude Sara, and it had hurt, no matter how much the brunette tried to pretend it didn't. She had moved away from her home, her friends, her _life_ in San Francisco. It was already hard enough to start over without Catherine attacking her at every turn. The only good thing Catherine had brought to her life was Lindsey.

Lindsey, who always brought a smile to Sara's face, was perfect. She was cute, energetic, loving, playful, bright, and wonderfully innocent. She was someone Sara could sit with and forget about all the horrors she faced every day. She loved hearing Lindsey talk about her adventures at school and the games she played with her friends. She loved hearing about her favourite dolls and the new "cool" toys she saw on tv. She liked spinning her around until they both felt sick. She loved cuddling with her while they read books. And she especially loved the way Lindsey seemed to just love her. She accepted her for who she was. She didn't need to work for the girl to like her; she didn't need to be on guard with the child. She could just _be_. So when Catherine had accused her of using Lindsey like a pawn, it had hurt. And it had made her immeasurably angry. She loved that little girl like her own and she would be damned if she ever did anything to hurt her. Truth be told, the accusation had even soured her relationship with the child. After that argument with Catherine, she had a hard time talking with Lindsey because she didn't want to do anything to give further ammunition to the girl's mother. She had stayed away until Catherine had finally faced her over two weeks after the initial accusation. Catherine had quietly, almost shyly, invited Sara out for coffee, and Sara had accepted. Catherine had suffered long enough and although the woman had been nothing short of cruel to her, Sara was not looking to keep her as an enemy. All she had wanted was to at least be civil with Catherine, and this was her chance. It was time to settle things between them.

Surprisingly, it had gone well. Catherine had been different with Sara, unnervingly nice. It threw the brunette. She hadn't expected that. She had expected her to be civil, but she hadn't expected her to be so kind. Catherine had even apologised to her for her behaviour, explaining that she had felt threatened by Sara and that that was why she had been on the offensive from the very start.

"_I'm ashamed, Sara, and I'm sorry. I know I had my claws out right from the beginning, when you had done nothing wrong. You were so brilliant even from the very first day, and I have always had to work my ass off at this job. I was jealous and I felt threatened by you. I know I don't deserve a second chance, but if it's okay with you, I'd like to try and turn things around between us. Lindsey adores you and… I don't want this animosity between us anymore. I'm sorry I caused it in the first place. It's all my fault, I know that. And I'm deeply sorry. I'm so sorry, Sara."_

Sara had been so shocked by the sincere apology that she could do nothing but nod weakly. They had then moved onto a safer subject: Lindsey. They traded cautious smiles and small anecdotes, until Catherine had broached the subject that had been weighing heavily on her mind: the drawing. When she brought it up, she was surprised to see the other woman give what looked to be a shy smile. Sara had slowly licked her lips before answering, almost as if she were trying to work up the nerve to say something embarrassing. She had finally confessed that she had spotted Catherine stroking the petals of a bouquet of blossoms at a crime scene one time, telling the shop keeper in passing that they were her favourite type of flower. When Catherine couldn't remember that specific moment, she was stunned to learn it had occurred over seven months prior. Sara didn't admit that she remembered nearly everything she learnt about her colleagues. She stored those pieces of information for use at a later date, and that was just one of the things she had learnt about Catherine Willows.

After that afternoon, things began to change ever-so-slightly for the two women. There were no more coffee dates, but the arguments between the two had dropped dramatically, and it even happened that the two could work an entire case together without one leaving in anger in the middle of it. They remained in this not-friends-but-not-enemies limbo for the next several months, until Catherine was once again in need of a sitter. She had already planned on asking her mother, but Lindsey had begged and pleaded so long for Sara that Catherine had finally given in and asked.

The brunette readily accepted, putting on a neutral expression so as to hide her excitement. She managed to focus at work even after Catherine had asked her, but in the back of her mind, she had excitedly begun planning everything she'd be doing with Lindsey that weekend. And they had done everything on that list too, including going to the local children's science museum, which Lindsey had loved. When Catherine had returned home later that Sunday night, she was astounded to hear that Lindsey had actually agreed to go to (and then enjoyed visiting) the museum. Lindsey was a wonderful child, but it was like prying teeth to get her to do anything academic. The girl was what her own mother lovingly called a "free spirit", much like Catherine herself. And that was far from the last time Sara engaged Lindsey in her academic career. Catherine had walked in on the two not three days later going over Lindsey's math homework.

"_Sara said if I want to stay and play in the lab, I have to do my homework first. She's helping me."_

The girl had said it with such acceptance that Catherine had been rendered speechless. She had been fighting with Lindsey for two days to do that damn homework and here she was, happily doing it with Sara. The brunette had smiled warmly at her before turning back to Lindsey and pointing to the next problem. It was the first time Sara had ever smiled at her, and the image of Lindsey curled into the woman while working on math problems had struck a chord in her.

That was the turning point for Catherine. In that moment, Catherine felt the stirrings of curiosity. Sara intrigued her. While they were no longer enemies at work, they weren't friends either. The strawberry blonde decided then and there to change that. Everybody else at work liked the brunette, and Lindsey had to be infatuated for a reason. Catherine was the only one who wasn't her friend, and she was determined to change that. Sara was notoriously private though. She was always eager to help and give her opinion at work, but became completely silent when it came to offering information about her personal life. She knew it wouldn't be easy to crack that shell, but Catherine was nothing if not persistent.

So, they slowly began to crawl towards friendship. It first began outside of the lab, away from home, going for coffee or a quick bite to eat. Sara remained alert, but as Catherine seemed nothing but genuinely sincere and friendly, the brunette eventually felt cautiously at ease. As the weeks went by, Sara began coming to Catherine's house instead of the two going out. Not only did this give them more of a chance to talk, but it also afforded Sara the opportunity to see Lindsey.

With time, they developed a routine that both women liked. Sara would arrive early enough in the evening to help Lindsey with her homework, as well as play games before supper. The three would then have dinner together before Catherine's mother or sister arrived to watch Lindsey. She and Catherine would then drive together to work (Sara insisting on driving) and return to Catherine's house after their shift. Sara would even stay for breakfast on occasion, and one time she ended up sleeping there.

Sara quickly became a regular face in the Willows household, and Catherine found she was more than grateful for her presence. She was an incredible help with Lindsey, and in a surprising turn of events, she also turned out to be quite the handywoman. Without even being asked, she had gone and fixed Lindsey's closet door (it kept coming off the track), finished adding the baseboards in the hallway on the second floor, mounted the mirror in Catherine's bedroom (it had been leaning against the wall for almost a year now), and had stopped the whirring sound the ceiling fan made in the office. It seemed every time Catherine turned around, Sara was finishing up yet another job in the house: tightening the handle on the bathroom door, replacing the long ignored burnt light bulb in the hallway closet, installing a handrail on the steps outside ("…in case Lindsey misses a step and falls"), hooking up the DVD player and the PS3 so that Catherine didn't have to keep unplugging one to use the other… and the list continued. The strawberry blonde found herself relying heavily on the other woman and Sara didn't seem to mind in the least. It was refreshing for Catherine. She had always prided herself on her independence, but she found lately that she was mistaken in her thinking. It was so much better with Sara around, and Catherine often found herself wishing the brunette were there when she was gone. She missed her when she wasn't in the house, almost like a part of her family was missing.

Wait.

When had she started thinking of Sara as family? Probably around the time that Sara had started sleeping in the guest room more often than she slept at her own apartment, she mused.

It also turned out that as the brunette became more comfortable, she began asserting herself and making decisions for Catherine. Sara had a very decisive nature, and it was something that Catherine greatly appreciated because she made decisions that the strawberry blonde had been agonising over for months. For example, it was Sara who had finally chosen what colour they would paint the living room and it was she who had actually carried out the task. It was Sara who put her foot down and made Catherine take her vehicle to the mechanic's when the strawberry blonde had been humming and hawing whether or not to do it. She had also started deciding what groceries they needed for the week and where they would bring Lindsey on the weekend.

Catherine loved this side of the brunette, and the feelings it stirred in her were more than welcome. She had someone to depend on, someone to help her choose when she debated, and in the cases where she didn't want to choose, she had Sara to make the decisions for her. Catherine had a strong personality, she was independent, but it was exhausting having to always be in charge. Sometimes, she just wanted to sit back and let someone else take the reins. The truth was, Catherine preferred to follow than to lead in a relationship, and Sara it seemed, preferred to lead. Even though they weren't dating, it still worked perfectly for them. It astounded her that they had been such enemies for so long, when it turned out that in their day-to-day life, they got along beautifully. Catherine had let her pride and jealousy dictate how to treat the brunette, and for that she was ashamed. Sara was turning out to be the best thing that happened to her and Lindsey.

Sara, in turn, was more than enjoying her new "family". She now ate delicious home cooked meals regularly thanks to Catherine's incredible culinary skills, she had people who seemed to genuinely enjoy her presence (a feeling she hadn't experienced in longer than she cared to admit), and a place where she felt wanted. She felt needed, respected, and Catherine seemed to genuinely value her opinion. She liked stepping up and taking over when she was with the woman; it made her feel like she was taking care her. However, she never made a decision without first picking Catherine's brain, finding out the woman's preferences and basing her decision upon those desires.

It was Catherine who first realised her feelings had changed, and it was brought to her attention by Sara's leaving for a week. It had been nearly six months now that Sara had started referring to Catherine's house as "home", instead of her apartment. They both silently agreed that they preferred to be together than apart, so the brunette stayed over often. Sara had been sleeping over so often in fact that the guest bedroom had now become known as "Sara's room". But then an old friend from San Francisco had come to town to visit, and Sara had returned to her apartment for a week. The first day, the two Willows women had been okay. They had remained distracted and went to bed early as usual. The second day, Lindsey had stated that she missed Sara, and Catherine had readily agreed. The third day, Lindsey asked to call Sara and Catherine, missing the woman so much, had agreed to interrupt Sara's visit just so that she could hear her voice.

She waited until the evening, and when she called, she was so elated to hear the other woman's voice that she thought her lips would crack from smiling. She let Lindsey speak to her first, and after a lengthy conversation, the girl reluctantly agreed with Sara that it was way past her bedtime. So, she had bid her goodnight and passed Catherine the phone.

"_Hey." _

"_Hi, you," Catherine said, grinning widely. She could hear Sara's smile in her voice. _

"_How have you been?"_

"_We've been okay. We miss you. I can't get Lindsey to stop talking about you."_

_Sara chuckled. Catherine's heart fluttered. _

"_I miss you guys too." _

"_Are you having a good time? I'm not interrupting, am I? We can talk another time."_

"_No! I mean… no. It's okay. Claire is on the phone with her boyfriend anyway," a pause. "To be honest, I think she's having phone sex."_

"_Really?" Catherine had asked, laughing. "It's only been three days." _

_Sara gave a slow, deep laugh; Catherine's stomach tightened. _

"_I know. I guess he misses her." _

_Catherine bit her lip as she traced her finger over the cherry blossoms drawing she had fished out from the drawer. _

"_What have you two been doing?" Sara asked._

"_Missing you mostly," she said, her index finger going over one of the pink petals. "What have you guys been up to?" _

"_We've been touring the city. She's never been here before." _

"_That sounds like fun." _

"_I'd rather be listening to you talk about what you saw in this week's edition of Elle magazine." _

_They came out monthly, but Catherine didn't bother correcting her._

"_You hate my Elle magazines." _

"_I miss hearing you talk about them," she admitted softly. _

_Catherine's heart flooded. She wished she could reach through the phone. When she realised she had been quiet for far longer than was socially acceptable, she cleared her throat and resumed speaking. _

"_I'll make sure they're waiting for you when you get home." _

_It was Sara's heart's turn to be flooded with warmth. Home. Catherine thought her house was also Sara's home._

"_Please do," she said after a pause, her voice gravelly. It made Catherine shiver. "Four more days." _

"_We're counting them down. I can't wait to see you."_

_Catherine stopped speaking when she heard Claire through the phone. Sara responded that she was coming before turning back to her conversation with Catherine. _

"_I'm sorry. I have to go now. We're going to see a movie."_

_Catherine smiled, but she felt sad. Sara sounded about as happy as Catherine felt, so the strawberry blonde forced herself to sound cheerful in her response. She didn't want Sara to feel down. _

"_Okay, sweetie. You'll have fun. You love going to the movies. Don't make yourself sick on the popcorn though. You know how you tend to overdo it."_

_Sara laughed when she heard Catherine's giggle, the memory of Sara clutching her stomach in agony the last time they went to the movies together hitting both of them. She had eaten an entire tub of popcorn to herself, only to then spend the entire car ride home in so much pain that Catherine had had to drive home. It had been worth it to have the strawberry blonde fuss over her for the rest of the evening though. _

"_I'll try not to. Give Lindsey a kiss for me." _

_Catherine fought the desire to ask for one too. Instead, she agreed and they hung up. _

The rest of the week passed slowly for Catherine. She could no longer deny the fact that she was totally, completely, and hopelessly in love with Sara. Now that she was no longer around, the house felt cold and empty. There was something missing and both Willows women felt it. Sara was the only thing Catherine could think about and she was practically counting down the seconds until the woman would be back. Even at work, she couldn't escape Sara's absence. Everyone kept asking how Sara was doing, if she was enjoying her vacation, and if Catherine had heard anything new about the brunette.

Sara was faring no better. Although she was glad to see her friend, she was also eager for her to leave. She just wanted to get home to Catherine and Lindsey. She had begun calling them every night after Catherine's initial phone call, unable to stay away any longer. Claire had hounded her after the third phone call, or the sixth night of her visit, interrogating her about the woman she was seeing and demanding to know why Sara hadn't said anything earlier.

"I'm not seeing her. We're just friends."

"Oh no you don't, Sara Sidle. You're not playing that "we're just friends" bullshit. You tried telling me you were "just friends" with Mandy Parker too. I didn't buy it then and I don't buy it now. You don't turn into a pile of mush and affection for anyone unless you're in love with them. Who is she?"

"She's just a colleague. Catherine is-"

"Catherine? So I finally have a name for the person who has been occupying your thoughts all week. I thought maybe you were distracted because of work, but I see you have been distracted for a much more interesting reason. So, spill."

"There's nothing to tell."

"Ah, so you haven't made a move yet. Why not? You're not getting any younger."

"Claire, I-"

"Oh, don't start denying it. I know that tone. Why not?" she asked firmly.

Sara sighed. She wasn't going to win, so she gave in.

"I didn't figure it out til this week," she admitted. "That's why not."

Claire nodded in understanding.

"But you will now?"

"I don't know."

"Does she feel the same way?"

"I don't know. I think so."

"She's gay?"

"No, she dates men too."

"She knows you're gay?"

"I'm pretty sure she knows, but I haven't told her."

"Why not?"

Sara shrugged.

"Never saw why I needed to. It was never relevant."

"Maybe now you should."

"Maybe…"

Claire left the following morning, telling Sara to just go for it. She had never ever seen the brunette so smitten, and after speaking about it all night, it sounded like feelings were reciprocated anyway.

When Sara announced that she was on her way over, Lindsey cheered and stayed firmly planted by the window until the woman pulled into the driveway. Sara had barely closed the car door when Lindsey came flying out the front door and threw herself at her. She managed to open her arms quickly enough to catch the screaming child in her arms, pulling her in for a hug. The girl didn't stop repeating how much she had missed her, and she squealed with delight when Sara produced a small bouquet of flowers for her.

Lindsey then hopped out of her arms, turning to run in the house to put her flowers in a vase of water. Sara approached the front steps, suddenly nervous. However, when Catherine appeared at the door, her nervousness melted into to confidence and determination. Catherine was her rock, her safe place. She was the one constant in her life, and she needed her. Catherine wanted her too, she was sure of it now. The only thing she needed to do was stake her claim.

Sara walked to her confidently, and when they were standing before one another, Catherine opened her arms wide and threw them around Sara's neck. Without thinking twice, Sara gently dropped Catherine's bouquet of blossoms, leaned forward, pressed her lips to Catherine's, and kissed her firmly, possessively. Catherine returned the kiss with gusto, hungrily claiming Sara's lips. She pressed her body tight against Sara's, shivering when the fingers gripping her hips moved to gently stroke the skin on her lower back. Nothing existed in that moment but the way Sara made her feel. Her stomach dropped low, her heart hammered in her chest, and the blood rushed loudly in her ears, but that was nothing compared to the way her flesh burned where Sara was touching her.

She moaned loudly when Sara's blunt fingernails scraped at her skin, wetness pooling between her legs when she felt Sara's tongue stroke against her own. Her stomach clenched hard when she heard the brunette's growl of satisfaction at finally tasting her. Catherine tightened her arms around her neck, trying to propel her body forward and kiss her harder. Sara stood still, firmly refusing to back down. The brunette controlled the kiss, her tongue leading the long strokes as they dueled for dominance.

Finally, Catherine couldn't do it anymore. She backed down, reluctantly pulling away as her head buzzed from a lack of oxygen. She pressed her forehead to Sara's, panting harshly. The brunette chuckled after a second, pressing her lips to Catherine's forehead.

"If that's how you'll greet me when I get back, I'll have to leave more often."

Catherine tightened her hold on Sara, shaking her head.

"You're not allowed to leave ever again. We missed you way too much. _I _missed you way too much," Catherine pulled back to look into her eyes. "I love you, Sara Sidle."

Sara kissed her way to her ear.

"I love you too," she murmured, enjoying the way the woman shivered against her.

And that was how they moved from friends-but-more-than-that to an actual relationship. Sara opted not to renew her lease when it ended, instead moving in with her girlfriend and daughter. She moved into Catherine's room, and Lindsey was ecstatic that Sara now lived with them on a permanent basis.

The first time they made love, Sara was sure she had never experienced anything more loving, intimate, sensual, gratifying, and heart-wrenchingly beautiful. Her heart swelled from the myriad of emotions that overcame her when she finally got to show the strawberry blonde exactly how she felt about her. Catherine, for her part, had never felt so cherished, adored, and cared for. Sara made love to her slowly, gently, and she was incredibly tender in her touches. They made love endlessly, neither one able to get enough of the other. They spent nearly all of their free time together talking, touching, and laughing. Catherine made it a point to learn as much as she could about Sara, and the brunette did the same. They knew each other better than anyone had known them before, continually asking questions to learn more about each other's thoughts, opinions, and desires. They prided themselves on the fact that they knew each other so intimately. It therefore came as a great surprise to learn that they had missed a glaring point in their quest to know each other inside out.


	2. Chapter 2

I decided to break it in two so that you weren't reading this is one huge chunk. Part 2 :)

* * *

The subject came up one Sunday evening, four months after officially moving in together, while cuddled up on the couch as Lindsey slept in her room. They were watching a movie, one whose name Catherine could no longer recall, when a very graphic scene came up on the screen of a man and a woman making love. However, they were doing so very unconventionally. Before Catherine had even been able to catch the thought, it was out of her mouth.

"That's really hot."

"What? That?" Sara asked, pointing to the man on the screen. "You think the fact that he's pretty much forcing himself on his girlfriend is hot?"

"He's not forcing himself, he's guiding her. And she's just as much into it. Look at how eagerly she's doing it. She likes that he's controlling it."

Sara stared at the screen. The woman was bent on her knees, while the boyfriend held her in place with his hand on the back of her head. It wasn't that she couldn't understand enjoying a dominating partner, in fact she completely did, but what surprised her was that Catherine found that appealing.

"You find a controlling man hot?"

"No, not a man necessarily. But I do find it hot that you can trust someone enough to let them take control of you. It's sexy to be controlled that way. And it's very liberating to let yourself be dominated like that too. By someone you trust of course. Don't you agree?"

Sara stayed quiet. And there was the million dollar question. This was a subject she had not yet brought up with her girlfriend. It was one she had been waiting to discuss with her. She was waiting for the right time, the perfect opportunity. She wanted to wait until Catherine was comfortable with her, but she was sure the woman was by now. So, now was the time to bring it up, wasn't it? Should she? She fantasized about doing some of those things with Catherine, but she was afraid to bring it up for fear of freaking out her girlfriend. Maybe she could talk about it a little now, since Catherine seemed open to it at least…

Catherine, misinterpreting Sara's silence for skepticism, continued.

"Think about it. It's freeing, don't you think? Because in that moment, as the submissive partner, you have no control and therefore no accountability. You have no responsibility, no pressure. You're not in charge of anything. The only thing you have to do, need to do, is please the other person and do what they say. It's the easiest thing in the world. There's no pressure to make decisions, the weight of life is no longer on your shoulders because in that moment, the only thing you need to do is please your partner. You have to listen to what they say. You have to push everything aside so that you can please the person that you're with. With the right person, it is… indescribable, really. And it's hot for the person topping as well. You have this person willing to completely submit to you, to cede all control and let you do whatever you want to them, within reason of course. You hold all the power over their pleasure. It's yours to give and take as you please, knowing that every time they quiver, it is because of you. And knowing that you can make them beg you to keep going, it's a huge power trip."

"You sound like you speak from experience," Sara said vaguely, her mouth dry. She was afraid to get excited at the idea that maybe Catherine had in fact done this before.

"I might be," she said, smiling. The truth was, Catherine was pretty open about everything, especially sex, but this subject was a bit sensitive for her. However, she trusted Sara, so she opened up. "My second relationship, we got into that. It was the first time I had ever tried any kind of… power play in the bedroom. Turned out I loved it and it was some of the best sex I've ever had, besides with you of course." Catherine didn't state that she had been thinking of wanting to do this with Sara. She wasn't lying though. Sex with Sara had been mind blowing. She had been brought to heights she hadn't known existed, but a part of her longed to incorporate power and domination into their sex life. She had been thinking about it for a while, but she was waiting until they became more comfortable in their sexual relationship. Now that they had been together a while, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

"You were the…?" Sara asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Sub. I can top with the right person and I really do enjoy it when I'm in the right mood, but I prefer to sub because I find it more rewarding. Plus, it's fun to be punished for misbehaving," she added with a grin.

"Did you do this in all of your relationships?" Sara asked. Catherine was such a fireball. She couldn't see her rolling over and letting someone else command her in such an intimate way. It was just one of the many reservations she had had regarding this subject. She was afraid Catherine would be absolutely repulsed by the idea of being dominated during sex because she was so strong willed. That fear had always been at the back of her mind.

"No. Only that one. You need a huge amount of trust to be able to do that. I never met anyone after Michelle who I felt I could trust enough. I need to know that the other person can control themselves the way that you need to control yourself in order to be a good dominant. You not only need to have command over your own impulses, but you also need to be in tune with the other person. I've always wanted to do it again, explore that part of myself again, but I never felt that connection after her." Catherine averted her gaze momentarily before forcing herself to meet Sara's once more. "Until you, that is," she said, hoping the shyness she felt did not show in her voice.

Sara's heart beat loudly in her chest.

"So," Sara asked, her throat suddenly very dry. "You want to do that? With me?"

Catherine looked away. Sara didn't sound very happy. Suddenly, the wave of insecurity she had been keeping at bay overwhelmed her, and she shook her head.

"No, I-I mean, you know, it's okay. I just meant, if you had been someone who liked that sort of thing, I would have been okay to do it. With you. Because I feel safe with you and because you're so strong and in control of yourself. You never act impulsively. You're so calm, and even when we argue, I'm the one losing it while you just stand there and speak in that infuriatingly calm tone," Catherine said, smiling. Her confidence had returned now that she could no longer see Sara's disapproving gaze. "I know it's hard to understand. I'm not asking you to do anything. I know it'd make you uncomfortable to do something like that when you didn't want to. I just meant that no one since her has made me feel like I _could_ do that with them, because they just didn't make me feel safe. Not until you. I feel safe with you. I… I trust you. On a level that I haven't ever felt before, not even with Michelle."

Sara paused, reflecting. Catherine had just dropped a bomb on her (one that excited Sara), and the final admission, about trusting her so deeply, had touched her to the point that she was rendered speechless. She knew Catherine's affection was deeply rooted. She knew the woman felt more intensely about her than she had about anyone else, but she had never told her how much she trusted her. Sara had assumed she had, but to hear it…

Catherine had trust issues. She did not trust easily because she had burned so badly in the past. Sara knew and accepted that. She understood it because she herself had her own issues regarding trust. But this admission, it meant so much to her. Sara understood this confession. She understood what it meant to trust someone so implicitly that you could relinquish all control to the other person. It took the type of trust that some couples spent years trying, sometimes unsuccessfully, to build. For Catherine to confess that she already felt that way with her…

"I wish you would say something," she whispered.

Sara looked up and her heart broke. Catherine looked incredibly vulnerable, and she had done nothing to comfort her. Feeling incredibly guilty, Sara reached out and pulled her into her arms. She held her tight, kissing her temple.

"I don't want you to think poorly of me now," Catherine confessed. She rarely let herself be this vulnerable, but she trusted Sara. Even if the brunette didn't want this, she wouldn't humiliate her. She knew that.

"Oh, baby. That's not it at all. I'm sorry. I'm just overwhelmed, but it's so not a bad thing. I don't think terrible things of you at all. Baby, the truth is…" Sara took a deep breath. Catherine had been brave. She had said it. She could say it too. "The truth is I'd like to. I'd like to very much, but I haven't said anything because I was afraid. I was scared you'd think I was some twisted, fucked up person looking to tie you up and hurt you, and I didn't want that. As much as I want to do those things too, it isn't worth losing you. Or, it wasn't worth losing you. So, I kept quiet. I was waiting to see when I could or should bring it up. For you to confess you like the same thing… well, you just put my mind through the wringer. I never would have thought you'd like that. I hoped, but…"

Catherine smiled against Sara's neck, relief flooding her body.

"I do," she confessed, kissing the skin below her ear. "I like it very much. I want you to do it. I really, really want you to."

"What exactly do you want me to do?"

Sara shivered as Catherine began sucking on her ear lobe.

"Hey," she said firmly, grabbing Catherine's wrists and pulling her back. "I asked you a question."

Catherine grinned. Sara was already jumping into the role.

"That. I like…" Catherine blushed, faltering.

"Tell me," Sara encouraged.

"I like being controlled," she answered, her earlier hesitance melting slightly. "I like being told what to do. I like to push… to test the limits and then to be punished for it, reprimanded. I like when you tell me what you want to do to me, and then have you do it. I like when you take control and I'm helpless against you. That I'm… at your mercy. I trust you. I trust you enough to let you have complete control over me. I want you to have it."

Sara felt her stomach clench. It was incredibly arousing to hear the woman confess her desires.

"That is so hot. I have to be honest though. I'm floored you feel this way."

"Like I said," she said, fingering the collar of Sara's shirt. "I wouldn't do this with just anyone; I have to trust the other person. And I trust you, Sara. Completely."

Sara leaned forward and kissed her, Catherine automatically melting against her touch. The brunette kissed her slowly for several seconds before pulling away. Catherine smiled at her lovingly, stroking her cheek.

"So what do you like?" the older woman asked.

"I like a lot of what you just stated. I like having you at my mercy, helpless against my touch. I like getting you to the point where you're begging me to get you off, and then I torture you a bit more by denying you your release. I'll finally give you what you want, but only if you behave and do as I say. I like the idea of you belonging to me and telling you that you do, that's you're mine."

Catherine's eyes widened and she nodded eagerly.

"What are your limits?" Sara asked.

"Limits?"

"What won't you do?"

"Anything truly painful. I don't want to be hit with anything other than your hand and nowhere but on my ass or upper thigh. No... bodily functions," Catherine said, laughing when Sara made a disgusted face. "Hey! Some people might like that, just not me."

"Me either."

"What about you? What are your limits?"

"I can't make you bleed or permanently damage your skin. I would never participate in a threesome; I don't share. I would never be open to penetration of anything other than my vagina."

Catherine laughed.

"Noted."

"Yeah, you better take note because that is a firm _hell. no. _I don't know what else… just nothing extreme, I guess."

Catherine nodded, reflecting. She couldn't believe she had just had this conversation with Sara. She couldn't believe they had never broached this subject even once before. She had been holding out for nothing.

And so that was how it had all come out. They had spent much of the rest of the night discussing the topic, Sara admitting her struggle in her youth with accepting her desires because she felt they were "wrong". She felt guilty for liking to dominate her lovers, for wanting to make them submit to her desires (willingly of course). However, with age, she had reached a point of acceptance and understanding of them (brought on by lots of reading about the subject) and, even though she still had some reservations, she was now more or less comfortable with her sexual desires. Catherine, for her part, admitted that she too had struggled but that she was looking forward to exploring this new aspect of their relationship.

Things started slowly between them, both taking the time to fall into their new roles. Catherine took to it easily, simply reverting to her previous behaviour of instigating Sara into action. The only difference was that this time, she wasn't doing it to hurt or upset the other woman. This time, she was doing it to get Sara's attention, to get her to react and play along. She began doing small things that she knew would irritate the brunette. Sara liked routine, and she liked having things done a certain way. Catherine began doing things to annoy Sara, so that the brunette would punish her for it later.

She always irritated Sara about mundane things though: putting the toilet paper on the holder wrong, turning on the lights in empty rooms because Sara hated wasting electricity, refusing to share the tools from her kit…things that would not create actual anger or resentment, but fuel Sara to be just a little rougher with her later, a little more aggressive to punish her for her earlier actions. Sara had yet to truly top her, truly put her in her place, and so Catherine kept on, trying her best to provoke Sara into really letting go. Truth be told, she was enjoying the way Sara would spit out her name with exasperation, storming over and telling her to just _listen_ for once instead of being such a brat. Catherine would grin in response, telling Sara she would just have to punish her for it later. The brunette would roll her eyes, but Catherine was serious. She wanted the woman to let that side of herself show. Sara was holding back, but the strawberry blonde knew she could make her let go.

It had been weeks, and the most Sara had done was pin her down to the bed and growl at her. She had spanked her once, but then she hadn't repeated it. Catherine didn't know how long Sara would resist giving in to what they both wanted, but the strawberry blonde's patience was wearing out. Sara, for her part, thoroughly enjoyed making Catherine wait. She had to fight herself, force herself not to give in too soon. She was, after all, the one who got to choose when she finally topped Catherine. She was eager to do it, and she knew Catherine was as well, but she was going to make her work for it. She liked the way the woman challenged her, most recently doing so at supper the other night.

Sara had asked Catherine to put the water jug on the table so that they could have that to drink with their meal, but the strawberry blonde had resisted, just as Sara suspected (and hoped) that she would. She had decided that last night she would step things up, _finally_, because she figured making Catherine wait three weeks was long enough. Besides, she was getting tired of waiting herself.

So, Sara had repeated herself, acting as though she was irritated with the woman in question. Catherine had again refused, stating that they didn't need the jug on the table. When Sara turned to make her way to the fridge, Catherine planted herself firmly in front of it, blatantly challenging her. Sara grinned to herself, confidently walking up to her, placing a solid grip on the woman's upper arm and hip before moving her roughly (but carefully) to the side. She made sure to appear stern, her face showing nothing but disapproval at Catherine's lack of compliance.

"_When I say to do something, you do it," _she growled.

Catherine shivered and nodded. It was the first time Sara had truly taken hold of her, and it had left her weak in the knees. She hoped this meant that the brunette planned on doing it more often.

But when two days passed and Sara still hadn't repeated the action, Catherine grew frustrated.

Sara was a very controlled person. She controlled her feelings, her actions, and she made her decisions carefully. She had deliberately chosen to make Catherine wait yet another week before she pinned her to the wall outside of the bathroom, telling her she was sick of her defiance these past few weeks and that she was growing impatient with her misbehaviour. She warned her that if she didn't stop soon, she would have to face the consequences. Catherine shivered at the underlying message. Sara was alerting her to the fact that she was finally going to give her what she had been waiting for for weeks.

She licked her lips in anticipation.

It finally occurred a little over a week and a half after the scene in the kitchen. Sara was genuinely becoming annoyed with Catherine's behaviour (the woman had taken the hint and run with it, challenging Sara at every opportunity after the scene by the bathroom, asking with her behaviour for Sara to scold her). She knew it was time to give in and punish the other woman. She was obviously eager to be reprimanded, given the fact that she would not stop arguing and opposing Sara at every turn. The brunette was looking forward to doing so, but she was waiting for the right act of defiance. She needed Catherine to do something good, big enough to warrant a good punishment. That action took place at their shift on Friday. By the time Sara finally got Catherine alone, she was more than ready to show her her place.

They had been on a scene together that Friday, and Catherine was going through Sara's kit, checking its components. She had found that the woman's micrometre was missing and that she was running low on black fingerprint powder. Catherine, being the lead on this one, was technically in charge. By no means did that give her the authority to reprimand Sara on her kit's contents, especially given that the "infractions" were weak at best, but she was going to do it anyway. She was doing everything in her power to fight Sara's desire to hold off on acting out their fantasy. She did anything and everything she could think of to provoke her. This was perfect; she knew that confronting her about something so trivial would really irk the woman. So far, doing minor things to just bug Sara wasn't working. She was going to have to step it up and do something that would actually annoy the brunette.

The strawberry blonde waited until they had finished processing the crime scene, and when they returned to work, Catherine confronted her. She made it seem like it was a serious problem, that Sara was being negligent (without saying the word specifically) and that she needed to be more careful about the components in her kit.

Sara had frowned at first, slightly taken aback. Catherine hadn't yet confronted her at work, especially not in the break room and definitely not in front of other people. However, she responded evenly that Nick had borrowed her micrometre and she had forgotten to ask for it back. She then went on to say that she had other colours in her kit other than black that worked just as well. Catherine had responded that black was the colour they used and that she should be better prepared at their crime scenes. She stated that she wasn't going to put up with Sara arriving on site unprepared.

After she made that statement, there was a long pause. Sara was never unprepared at crime scenes. She went to great lengths to make sure that she always had everything that she needed. She was one of the best CSIs there. Sara took her work very seriously and for Catherine to choose to attack this aspect of her life was a good strategy. It would irritate Sara to be called out on her work ethic, especially in front of the others. Catherine just so happened to choose to confront the other woman in the break room, in plain view of the guys, who pretended not to notice the "argument" before them.

"Follow me to the lab, Catherine. I have something I need to discuss with you."

The woman felt her stomach squeeze with anticipation. However, she decided to defy her one last time, just to give Sara the extra ammunition.

"No. I think I want to stay here."

Sara raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes.

"_Now_, Catherine," she said, glaring at the woman and guiding her to the back room. "I want you to come with me."

Catherine rolled her eyes at the brunette, acting as though she were incredibly reluctant to follow. The truth was, she couldn't wait.

When they approached the lab, she turned to Sara and began arguing with her once again.

"I don't care what you want, Sara. You can't just force me away like that. You know how important it is to maintain your kit. Just because we're involved now doesn't mean I'm going to let you get away with slacking off."

Sara firmly guided her into the room, closing and locking the door behind them. Catherine dug her fingernails into her palm. Sara never slacked off. She was always the first one to arrive at work and the last one to leave (which meant so had Catherine been since they had started carpooling). Sara took her work seriously and of all of them, she was definitely the most dedicated.

The brunette spun on her heels when Catherine spoke the last sentence, taking two long strides to come face to face with the other woman.

"I do _not_ slack off, Catherine. How dare you imply otherwise? And in front of the guys? You couldn't just talk to me alone, like a normal person?"

"If you can't keep your kit stocked properly, then you deserve to have everyone know about it."

"You're just talking shit now, Catherine, and frankly I'm sick of it," Sara stated, proud of the fact that her voice sounded firm. She was getting good at this. "You know that I work harder than anyone else here and I make damn sure that I'm always ready."

"Didn't look like it today," she said with a challenge.

"Christ, Cath. You always have to have the last word, don't you? All week you've been running that mouth of yours, refusing to do anything I ask. I'm sick of it. I think it's about time I start showing you who runs this show."

"I thought you liked a challenge, Sara," she countered, taking a step closer to the brunette.

"Not when it makes me angry, and right now, you are pissing me off. You provoke me, but not anybody else. Why is that, Cath? Why do you challenge me and not anyone else?" she asked, as if she didn't know the answer. She had to admit, she was getting off on the verbal exchange with Catherine. She was a worthy opponent when it came to arguments like this. Catherine could hold her own and Sara liked that. A lot.

"Maybe I like when you get worked up. Maybe I want to see your reaction." She then leaned in and whispered the next part, "Maybe I irritate you on purpose because I wonder how exactly you'll get me to shut up once you finally lose control. What you'll do when you finally decide to punish me."

Sara's stomach dropped with arousal, her hands shooting out to grip the woman's upper arms. Catherine suppressed a gasp, moving back when the brunette roughly moved her away from her body.

"You want to know what I'll do to shut you up?" she asked firmly.

"Maybe I do."

Sara hesitated for a second, looking into Catherine's eyes. They had been working towards this, the brunette knew it. They both knew it. Catherine had been baiting her for weeks. She had initiated this here, now, but she still had to be sure. So, she searched her eyes, her face, for any hint of fear or uncertainty.

She found none. Catherine was facing her, looking her square in the eye, testing her. There was no fear or hesitance.

"Choose a word," Sara demanded.

A spark of amusement flashed in Catherine's eye before she licked her lips and said, "field kit".

Sara reacted immediately, squeezing the woman's upper arms and flipping her to trap her against the wall. The word had its desired effect: Sara's irritation was reignited. She held her firmly in place, glaring.

"So, you're doing all of this to get a rise out of me, are you? You _want_to piss me off? You like to get me going? Well, then maybe it's time to show you what exactly happens when I'm provoked. It's time you were taught a lesson. On your knees," she commanded.

"Make me."

"You just can't help yourself, can you? You can never keep that mouth of yours shut and just do as you're told. I guess maybe it's time I _did_ make you."

Sara moved her hand and gripped the back of Catherine's neck. With one final pause to see if the woman would protest (she didn't), Sara forced the blonde to her knees.

"No more playing. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've been in this position. I think you can figure out exactly what I want. If you can't stop running your mouth like you have been, find a better use for it."

Catherine, now nearly breathless from excitement, quickly undid the brunette's pants. She had rebelled enough. It was time to give into what they both wanted. After the button was undone, she quickly unzipped her jeans and guided them down Sara's legs. She tossed the pants aside before reaching back up and repeating the process with the woman's underwear, moaning internally when she saw how wet Sara was. She could not wait to taste her.

"What are you waiting for? Put that mouth to work," Sara growled, firmly guiding her forward.

Catherine didn't hesitate a second longer. She immediately slid her tongue between the woman's folds, groaning when she got her first taste of Sara. The brunette bucked in response, letting out her own grunt of approval. She leaned forward against the door, resting her forehead on her arm as she looked down at the scene before her. Catherine had her back to the door and was sitting on her heels, eyes closed, with a look of pure enjoyment on her face. Her tongue was stretched as far as it would go, stroking firmly between Sara's legs. The brunette's stomach dropped as another pang of arousal hit deep in her belly. Fuck, Catherine was hot.

Sara's mouth fell open as the blonde swiped her tongue even lower, teasing at her entrance. She moaned and bucked against her, tugging at her neck to admonish her for the teasing touch.

"Stop being a fucking tease. That's all you've been doing for weeks, Catherine. Give me what I want."

Catherine's insides fluttered. Sara was bossy, demanding, growling out each order. It was incredibly arousing to hear her be so controlling. Catherine pressed her tongue firmly against Sara's sex, doing as the woman had directed. She brought it up to swirl around Sara's clit, stroking it gently. She then pressed her lips to the hardened bud, swiping her tongue against it twice before sucking it deep into her mouth.

"Fuck, Cath. Harder."

Catherine quickly did as she was told, repositioning herself to take it further into her mouth. She sucked harder, gripping the back of Sara's ass to hold her in place. That is, until the brunette yanked her hands away.

Catherine looked up, confused.

"I didn't say you could touch me. Hands by your sides."

"But-"

Sara gripped her chin.

"Don't "but" me. You do exactly what I tell you to do, when I tell you to. I never told you to do that, so _don't_. Got it?"

Catherine held her gaze for a second before nodding.

"Yes, ma'am."

The blonde bit her tongue in an effort to remain obedient. She wondered what else Sara would do to her if she rebelled. In the future, of course. Right now, she wanted too badly to make the woman come against her mouth, and she was afraid that if she provoked her too much, Sara would stop the scene.

Understanding that Catherine had grabbed her in an effort to have better access to her, Sara decided to solve that problem by reaching out and dragging a stool over. She propped up her foot on the bottom bar, spreading herself open for the woman before her.

"Better?"

Catherine swallowed hard. It was difficult to concentrate now that Sara was spread open for her. She could see every inch of her. Catherine bit her lip and forced herself to break her stare, looking up into Sara's eyes. She nodded, remembering that she had been asked a question. She no longer felt the desire to fight. She wanted this. My God, she wanted this.

"May I…?" she asked, inching forward.

Sara paused, reaching down to cup her cheek. She stroked her thumb across the blonde's skin, smiling down at her.

"Such a good pet. So obedient now, asking permission. Good girl. You'll find that you get exactly what you want when you behave," she stated, pulling her hand away. "Yes, you may."

Catherine smiled gratefully and quickly moved forward, her mouth resuming where it had left off. Her hands came up automatically, but she quickly brought them back down when she remembered her instructions.

Sara, having witnessed Catherine's correcting herself, felt herself grow even wetter at the display of submission. It was incredibly arousing to see such a strong-willed woman do exactly as she commanded. It made her stomach drop with lust because Catherine had _wanted_ to do this, she had asked for it, and now she was obeying her. It was incredibly erotic to know that she controlled the other woman's actions. Catherine trusted her enough to let herself submit to Sara.

"Oh, fuck!"

The brunette bucked against Catherine's mouth, gripping the back of her head as she held her in place. That last realisation had been enough to make her knees buckle, and the growing knot of arousal deep in her belly had nearly come undone. Sara quivered against Catherine's skilled mouth, looking down and moaning loudly as she watched the woman she loved service her, licking up the wetness between her legs. Sara's toes curled as she began actively bucking against Catherine, her stomach pressing down hard. She was close.

"Fuck…"

Sara squeezed her eyes shut, no longer able to watch as Catherine's pink tongue darted out to swipe against her clit. She wanted to hold off just a little longer, so she closed her eyes, focusing instead on trying to delay her orgasm. It wasn't easy. Catherine was working her body harder than she ever had before. Sara panted hard, hips bucking, as the blonde continued the assault between her legs. She was going to come soon, but she didn't want to. This was too good. She didn't want it to end. She twisted and bit her lip, doing her best to put off the inevitable.

Catherine could tell that Sara was fighting it, holding off. She didn't want that. She wanted Sara to come undone. She wanted her to come in her mouth, and she knew just what she had to do to make it happen.

Catherine pulled away for a second, licking her tongue against her lips before speaking.

"Please," she begged, swiping her tongue again, causing Sara to moan. "Please, Sara. I want to taste you. I want you to come against my mouth. I'm sorry I misbehaved. I'll listen next time. I've learnt my lesson but just, please," she continued, sucking her bottom lip for a second before releasing it. "Please stop punishing me. Please. Let me make you come."

The desperate plea was too much. Sara gripped Catherine's head yanking her back in place, and when the woman sucked her clit back into her mouth, Sara was thrown hard over the edge. She cried out loudly, cursing and bucking harshly against Catherine's tongue. It was relentless against her clit, sucking and lashing at it as Sara was hit with wave after wave of incredible pleasure. She rode out her orgasm against Catherine's talented tongue, holding her firmly in place and stroking herself against it as her body shook with the aftermath of such a powerful release.

Finally, when she couldn't take anymore, she pulled the blonde away, unable to suppress the grin at the look of disappointment on Catherine's face. Sara quickly closed her eyes though, unable to fight the heaviness of her eyelids.

"Fuck," she muttered. She was drained.

Catherine stayed on her now sore knees, watching as Sara slowly came down from her high. When the brunette's eyes finally fluttered open, Catherine's stomach clenched at the arousal and affection in them.

"Hey," Sara whispered, moving her hand to cup Catherine's cheek. "Come here," she encouraged, nudging Catherine up.

The woman winced as her knees protested being on such a hard surface for so long, but she obeyed nonetheless. Sara pulled her in a warm embrace, kissing her neck, her cheek and finally her lips. She groaned when she tasted herself on Catherine's mouth, a small pang of arousal hitting her deep in her belly.

Catherine relished the soft and loving touches Sara gave her, the brunette's lips gently stroking against her, her fingertips softly caressing her neck and hip. Sara peppered her skin with kisses until she finally made her way to the blonde's ear.

"Such a good pet. You've really pleased me today. I think I'll keep you."

Catherine shivered in pleasure. She was looking forward to exploring this new part of their relationship.


End file.
